Electric switch



p E. H. GARBER 2,297,402

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed April 1, 1941 awe/whoa EVereiiHaar&er

Patented Sept. 29, 1942 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC SWITCH Everett Hardgrove Garber, Pampa, Tex.

Application April 1,, 1941, Serial No. 386,337

(Cl. ZOO-87) 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an electric switch and it is a particular object of the invention to provide a device of this kind including a movable contact for normally closing one circuit and wherein said movable contact automatically operates to close a second circuit in the event the first-named or regular circuit fails.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an electric switch designed for use in connection with the electric system for an automobile or other vehicle for automatically throwing on an emergency light in the event of failure of the circuit for the headlights of an automobile.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved electric switch whereby certain important advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein the figure is a View, partly in section and partly in elevation, and also of a somewhat dia'grammatic character, illustrating an electric switch constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawing C denotes a housing of desired dimensions and which is maintained, in any manner preferred, in required working or effective position. An end or bottom wall I of the housing at its central part is provided with a lamination 2 of a material non-conductive of electricity and which lamination is rigid with the bottom or end wall I. Within the housing C and securely held to the lamination 2 by a screw 3 or the like is the core 4 of an electro-magnet E. This core 4 has associated therewith the usual coil 5, one end of which being grounded, as at 6, with the housing C. The opposite extremity of the coil 5 is in electrical connection through a conductor 1 with a connection shank or screw 8. This screw 8 is disposed radially through an annular disk 9 of material non-conductive of electricity. The marginal portion of the disk 9 defining the central opening IU of the disk is provided with a rabbet ll! of such cross-sectional dimensions to permit the ready application to the inner end portion of the screw or shank 8 of a nut H which constitutes a contact.

The screw or shank 8 is of a length to extend exteriorly of the housing C and has threaded thereon a nut l2 which, as herein disclosed, has

direct contact with a washer 14 of insulating material mounted on the screw or shank 8 and interposed between the nut l2 and the adjacent wall of the housing C. Upon proper tightening of the nuts II and I2 the disk l9 will be efiectively maintained in desired position within the housing C.

The screw or shank 8 has threaded thereon outwardly of the nut [2 a second or binding nut l5, and by this nut 15 a conductor l6 comprised in the headlight circuit for an automobile or for other purpose may be electrically connected with the screw or shank 8.

Disposed axially through the disk 9 at a point diametrically opposed to the screw or shank 8 is a second screw or shank I! having threaded on its inner end portion a nut l8 constituting an electrical contact while the outer portion of the screw or shank I! has threaded thereon a holding nut l9. Interposed between the nut l9 and the adjacent wall of the housing C is an insulating washer and co-acting With the nut I9 is a binding nut 2| threaded on the screw or shank l1 outwardly of the nut l9 and wherein a second conductor comprised in the headlight circuit or for other purpose may be electrically connected with the screw or shank IT. The screw or shank I! together with the nuts 18 and I9 also provide further means for maintaining the disk 9 in desired position within the housing C.

Freely extending through the central opening IU of the disk 9 is an elongated plunger 22 nonconductive of electricity, and which has secured thereto on one side of the disk 9 a surrounding contact band or member 23 which bridges the space between the contact nuts H and I8 and electrically connects the same. The plunger 22 is in alignment with the core 4 of the electromagnet E and the extremity of the plunger 22 opposed to said core 4 carries a head or block 24 of soft iron or other metal which will be readily attracted by the core 4 when the same is energized by the coil 5. The drawing of the head 24 toward the core 4 of the electro-magnet will move the plunger 22 in a direction sufficient to cause the contact band or member 23 to electrically connect the nuts or contacts II and I8 and to maintain such contact during the period the electro-magnet E is energized.

Intersecting the housing C at a desired point between the disk 9 and the electro-magnet E is a guide element 25 for the plunger 22 and through which said plunger 22 is freely disposed. The plunger 22 at a desired point between the disk 9 and the guide member 25 carries a surrounding spring stop 26 against which abuts an end.

portion of a coil spring 21 surrounding the plunger 22. The opposite end portion of the spring 21 contacts the guide member 25 and when the plunger 22 is maintained in a position under the action of the electro-magnet E to connect the nuts or contacts II and I8 through the band or member 23, the spring 21 will be placed under such compression that, should the circuit for headlights or other purpose fail and the eleotro-magnet E thereby become ineffective, it will move the plunger 22 a distance sufficient to bring the contact member 28 carried by the plunger 22 into engagement with the contact member 29 carried by the second end or top wall 30 of the housing C. In the present embodiment of my invention the contact member 28 is mounted upon the end of the plunger 22 remote from the head 24 and this contact 28 is held to the plunger 22 by the elongated bolt 3| in electrical connection with the contact 28. Threading upon an extended end portion of the bolt 3| is a holding nut 32. This extended portion of the bolt 3| has electrically connected therewith a conductor 33 leading to a spot light or other emergency light or to such other emergency translation that may be desired. This conductor 33 is comprised in the same circuit with the conductor 34 in electrical connection with the contact 29.

As herein disclosed the contact 29 is provided with a stem 35 which extends through and beyond the end or top wall 30 and is held in place by a holding screw 36. Interposed between this holding screw 36 and the end or top wall 30 and between the contact member 29 and said end or top wall 30 are the insulating washers 31.

While the housing C may be maintained in desired position in any manner preferred, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing the housing C is provided at desired points with the outstanding attaching brackets 38.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that an electric switch constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

A switch of the class described comprising a housing having normally closed ends, an electromagnet carried by one end of the housing, a disk intersecting the opposite end portion of the housing, said disk being of a material non-conductive of electricity, said disk being provided with a central opening defined by a rabbet, conductor members coacting with the side wall of the housing and extending radially through the disk for holding the disk in applied position within the housing, contact members engaged with the inner end portions of the conductor members, said contact members being within the rabbet, a plunger extending through the central opening of the disk, said plunger being non-conductive of electricity, a head carried by the end portion of the plunger adjacent to the electro-magnet, said head being of a material to be attracted by the magnet when energized, means for urging the plunger in a direction away from the magnet, and a contact member carried by and surrounding the plunger for electrical engagement with the contact members within the rabbet for closing a circuitthrough the conductor members when the plunger is moved toward the electro-magnet.

EVERETT HARDGROVE GARBER. 

